Safety-latch.



A. A. S'HLL SAFETY LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED MMLM. 1917- I 1 22 1 16. Patented Aug. 14. 1917.

WITNESSES IAIVENTOR I ATTORNEYS '1 sky -2 r SAFETY-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1&1 *1

Application filed March 31, 1917. Serial No. 158,901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABnAM ALLEN Sm, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Annette, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Safety-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in Hitches, and has for its object to provide a device of the character specified, for use with motor vehicles in connection with control levers to prevent movement of the same to a reverse position.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the improved safety latch in looking position;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the latch in looking position. v

Fig. 4; is a similar view with the latch in unlocking position. The present embodiment of the invention comprises a bracket which is composed of a rod bent to shape and comprising a body portion 1 having at each end a bearing eye 2, and 21 depending standard 3 and at. These standards have feet 5 which have openings forreceiving retaining screws 6 or the like, for holding the bracket to the car.

It will be noticed that the foot 5 of the standard 4 extends parallel with the body 1 of the bracket, while the foot 5 of the standard 3 is oblique to the said body.

A latch bar 7 is journaled 1n the eyes 2., the said bar having at one end an angular handle 8, and the other end is threaded to receive a nut 9. This latch bar is rotatable in the eyes 2, and the bar is provided at the end adjacent to the nut 9 with a laterally extending stop 10, and the stop is provided adjacent to the bar with a depending lug 11, which is adapted to engage the body 1 of the bracket when the rod is in looking position, to prevent downward movement of the portion 10 and the handle 8.

In use, when it is desired to lock the control lever the parts occupy the position of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with'the portions 10 extending into the path of movement of the said lever so that it cannot be moved into the reverse position. The lug 11 holds the bar in proper position, and when it is desired to release the control lever, the bar is oscillated by means of the handle 8 to bring the parts into the position of Fig. 4, that is to move the portion 10 out of the path of movement of the control lever. It Will be understood that the latch is arranged so that when the parts are in the position of Fig. 1 the portion 10 will be in the path of movement of the control lever toward the reverse.

I claim:

Latch mechanism for preventing the movement of control levers of motor cars into the reverse, and comprising. a bracket for attachment to the car, said bracket consisting of a body portion formed from a rod bent to form a horizontal body with upstanding eyes at each end, and depending standards having means for connecting the bracket to the car, a latch bar journaled in the eyes and bent at one end to form a handle, a nut engaging the other end, said bar having near the end remote from the handle a laterally extending stop provided with adep'end'ing lug at one end for engaging the body of the bracket to hold the stop in horizontal position.

ABR A. STILL. 

